The University of Ottawa and its Senate, from the eyes of students

From: Joseph Hickey and Hazel GashokaTo: Vice-President of Governance, Diane DavidsonCc: Members of Senate, community members, mediaDate: March 14, 2012Subject: UofO Senate Meeting Cancelled: Observation of President Rock’s Cross-examination must be Discussed

Dear Vice-President of Governance, Diane Davidson,

Today and yesterday we publicly called on President Allan Rock to retract his decision to bar the public from observing his cross-examination hearing over allegations of improper financing of an ongoing lawsuit (St. Lewis v. Rancourt) involving UofO professors. You were in Cc to both of these e-mails (link, link).

Also this week, the Civil Liberties Association of the National Capital Region (CLA-NCR) emitted a public statement stressing the societal importance of public observation of cross-examinations in St. Lewis v. Rancourt. These cross-examinations include that of Mr. Rock. The CLA-NCR’s statement is posted here: (link).

This afternoon an e-mail was sent from your office to all Members of Senate informing us that you have cancelled the upcoming meeting of the Senate, scheduled for March 26, due to a lack of Agenda items for that meeting (see below).

The matter of observation of the University President and CEO’s sworn testimony regarding the propriety of his decision to fund one side of a civil litigation that has freedom of expression and academic freedom at its core is of utmost importance to the Senate and must be debated in full in that forum. We imagine that there must have been a terrible mistake by your office in sending this notice of cancellation of the March 26 Senate meeting following our public requests to the President.

It is, in fact, fortunate that there is room on the March 26 meeting Agenda to permit the Senate to fully analyze and deliberate on this matter. We stress that this is an urgent matter that must be dealt with by the Senate on March 26 and not later, due to the upcoming scheduling of Mr. Rock’s cross-examination.

We trust that you will correct this cancellation notice immediately and add the matter of public observation of the President’s cross-examination to the March 26 meeting Agenda.